Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Kelly's
Directory
Kelly's Directory 1875
Hambridge is an ecclesiastical parish, comprising parts of the parishes of BARRINGTON, CURRY RIVELL, ILE BREWERS and PUCKINGTON, and the whole of the ancient parish of EARNSHILL: it is about 5 miles south-west from Langport, and 5 from Ilminster, in the Western division of the county, hundred of Kingsbury, union and county court district of Langport, rural deanery of Crewkerne, archdeaconry of Taunton, and diocese of Bath and Wells. The chruch of St. James is a stone building, in the Decorated style, having a chancel, nave, square tower with 1 bell, south porch, organ chamber and vestry: the interior is effective: the chancel is highly decorated: there is a handsome stained window: the reredos is of marble, with a rich gold cornice: two massive gospel and epistle lights, carved of oak: seven lamps are suspended from the chancel arch: the choir is separated from the nave by a low screen, bearing 30 lights: over the font is a corona, with seven lights. There is Holy Communion on every Sunday, Festival and Saint's day, and daily morning and evening prayer. The register dates from the year 1844. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £144 gross, and 6.5 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and held by the Rev. Charles Stephen Grueber, B.A., of Hertford College, Oxford. There is a Parochial school, with residence attached. The Bible Christians have a chapel, in which a Sunday school is held. Richard Thomas Combe, esq., D.L., J.P., of Earnshill, is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Richard Thomas Combe, esq., William Blake, esq., S. Bartlett, esq., Rev. William Allen, Rev. A. H. Fownes Luttrell, and the Rev. --- Davies. The soil is chiefly clay and sandy loam; the subsoil, blue lias and limestone. The chief crops are wheat, oats, beans, barley, mangolds and swedes. The area is 3,833 acres; and the population in 1871 was 581, of whom 17 are in Nidon.
Earnshill parish is in the hundred of Abdick and Bulstone, situated near the river Isle. Earnshill is a handsome mansion, in a fine park, the seat of Richard Thomas Combe, esq., D.L., J.P., lord of the manor and sole landowner. The land is chiefly in pasture. The area is 375 acres; rateable value, £629; and the population in 1871 was 14.
NIDON, formerly extra-parochial, now annexed to the civil parish of Barrington, is in the ecclesiastical district of Hambridge.
Parish Clerk, William Vile.
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Post Office – John Dyer, receiver. Letters arrive from Taunton at 8 a.m. & 5.50 p.m. ; Sundays, 10 a.m. The nearest money order office is at Curry Rivell. There is a wall letter box, cleared at 5.20 p.m.; Sundays, 9.30 p.m.
School, Miss Caroline Brooks, mistress.
Private Residents.
Combe Richd. Thos. D.L., J.P. Earnshill
Grueber Rev. Charles Stephen, B.A. [vicar], Vicarage
Taylor Mrs. New cottage
Commercial
Brownsey Charles, shopkeeper, & collar works, Westport
Brownsey John, shopkeeper, Westport
Brownsey Wm. beer retailer, Westport
Coggan Fredk. & Fredk. jun. farmers
Dyer John, draper, & post office
Faulkner Philip, farmer
Lang Joseph & Henry, millers, farmers, brewers, & wine & spirit merchants, Hambridge mills
Louch Henry, New inn
Male John, Westport inn
Morris William, shopkeeper, Westport
Poole John, shopkeeper
Priddle Samuel, wheelwright
Rowsell William, farmer
Sargent William, shopkeeper
Slocombe James, shoe maker
Somerset Trading Co. coal & corn mers (Hy. Edwards, agt.), Westport
Taylor John Gange, farmer